Nets Officially Announce Roster Change With Former 76ers Star

The Brooklyn Nets are moving on from Ben Simmons.

Feb 11, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Ben Simmons era in Brooklyn is over. Soon, the former Philadelphia 76ers All-Star will find a new team.

On Saturday afternoon, the Nets announced the inevitable, confirming that Simmons’ time with the organization has been cut short. They thanked the veteran guard for his contributions over the last few seasons.

Thank you, @BenSimmons25 pic.twitter.com/wTzvAzqCgG

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 8, 2025

Now, Simmons has a chance to hit the open market and sign with a team for the remainder of the 2024-2025 NBA season.

Prior to Simmons’ buyout agreement, it was reported that there wasn't any interest in bringing Simmons back to the 76ers.

While Simmons had a shockingly positive reflection on his time with the Sixers recently, a reunion isn’t expected to be in play.

Instead, there have been three teams linked to Simmons, with two of them coming from outside of the Eastern Conference.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team in the East to consider Simmons at this time. That wouldn’t be a bad move for the guard coming from a rebuilding situation, considering the Cavs are the top team in the East right now.

The Los Angeles Clippers were another team linked to Simmons. It would give the three-time All-Star an opportunity to link with James Harden after the two veterans were traded for one another back in 2021.

Simmons’ third link is the Houston Rockets, according to Chris Haynes. As the fourth seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets have officially established themselves as contenders this year. Simmons could be of help on the defensive end of the floor, offering value in the backup ball-handling department.

The former No. 1 overall pick leaves Brooklyn after three seasons. In 90 games, Simmons averaged seven points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal per game.

Simmons’ Nets tenure wasn’t what many expected when he was traded to Brooklyn from Philadelphia, but his body of work across four seasons with the Sixers still makes him an intriguing prospect.

During the regular season, Simmons had 275 starts with the Sixers. He produced 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game. He was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in two of those four seasons.

The 28-year-old also has 34 playoff games under his belt. He averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists across three postseasons.

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